Aircraft breathing regulator



Feb. 2, 1943. s. M. DEMING AIRCRAFT BREATHING REGULATOR Filed Oct. 11, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR GEORGE M. DEMING y Y ATTORN Feb. 2, 1943. s. M.. DEMING 2,310,189

AIRCRAFT BREATHING REGULATOR Filed Oct. 11, 1941' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE M. DEMING BY ATTORNEY Feb'. 2, 194 3. G. M. DEMING AIRCRAFT BREATHING REGULATOR Filed Oct. 11, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet; 3

INVENTOR GEORGE DEMING BY FIG.5.

ATTORNEY- Patented- Feb. 2, 1943- AIRCRAFT BREATHING REGULATOR George M. Deming, Orange, N. J.-, asslgnor to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, New York,

-N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 11, 1941, Serial No. 414,656

12 Claims.

This invention relates to breathing regulators for supplying oxygen to aviators.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved aircraft breathing regulator of. the demand type, that is, in which the oxygen is supplied only in response to inhalations by the aviator. The invention includes a housing in which there is a respiratory chamber that communicates with the face mask. There are passages through which the respiratory chamber is supplied with air from the ambient atmosphere surrounding the regulator, and with oxygen from an oxygen chamber. Aneroid-operated valve means determine the extent of 'opening of the passages, and proportion, in accordance with the altitude, the relative amounts of air and oxy en that enter the respiratory chamber.

In one modification of the invention there are check valves closing toward the respiratory chamber, and biased toward closed position, and commanding the passages into the respiratory chamber for air and oxygen, respectively. Abutment means located between the check valves hold the respective check valves open by different amounts at difierent altitudes. In a modified form of the invention a single valve element, located between confronting passages, is moved toward and from Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the breathing regulator of this invention connected with an aviators face mask.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, partly in front elevation and partly in section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The breathing regulator includes a housing l0 made up of two shells II and I2 and a removable back plate l3. The shell I2 is circular and dished the respective passages to offer diflerent amounts of obstruction to the entrance of air and oxygen into the respiratory chamber. This valve element is preferably operated so as to totally ob struct the oxygen passage at sea level or at low altitudes, and to totally obstruct the air inlet at elevations in excess of about 33,000 ft. This altitude is given as illustrative, asin some instances it may be desirable to totally obstruct the air at some other altitude, for example at 30,000 ft. Between sea level and the chosen altitude of total air obstruction the valve element occupies various intermediate positions, progressively closer to the air inlet as the altitude increases.

Another object of the invention is to provide a breathing regulator with a diaphragm chamber that controls the operation of an oxygen supply valve, and at the same time functions as a rebreathing bag. In attaining this object of the invention the regulator is made of large size, and the diaphragm isgiven arange of travel beyond the limits of the valve-operating means that contact with the diaphragm. The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a housing that is substantially higher and wider than it is thick from front to back, and that has a strap by which it is hung around the aviator's neck with the back of the housing resting on his chest. 55

and has openings I 4 in its front and sides. A diaphragm I 5 has its peripheral edge clamped to the-edge of the shell l2 by a clamping ring 1 6.

The center region of the diaphragm I5 is covered by a diaphragm plate I8 which is secured to the diaphragm and preferably of light metal.

A valve-operating lever I9 contacts with the diaphragm plate l8 and has a fulcrum 20 at the lower end of an inlet fitting 2|. This fitting extends through both of the shells I I and I2 and on its upper end has a hose connector 22 for connecting the breathing regulator with a source of oxygen.

Thediaphragm Hi can move forward (to the right in Fig. 2) until it strikes the shell l2. This movement is beyond the limit of travel of the lever IS, the diaphragm l5 moving forward independently of the lever l9 after the latter reaches its limit of movement. The purpose of providmg for this movement of the diaphragm in addition to that necessary for operating the lever I9 is to obtain a large volume or reservoir for re-,

breathing.

An oxygen regulating valve 23 closes against a seat 24 in the fitting 2|; This valve is'operated by a plunger or stem '25 which is displaced by the lever 19. The valve 23 acts as a pressure reducing valve for reducing the pressure'of the oxygen, that is supplied to the fitting 2| at a pressure of the order of ten pounds per square inch (gauge), to substantially the same pressure as the atmosphere outside of the breathing regulator. I The'valve 23 is urged toward closed posit on by the velocity and upstream pressure of oxygen enrichment at sea the oxygen. The plunger or stem 23 is displaced by the lever 19 to open .the valve 23 when the pressure 'against the front (right side in Fig. 2) of the diaphragm I is greater than the pressure in the oxygen chamber 21 between the diaphragm l5 and the back plate l3. The pressure in the chamber 21 is actually very slightly below the existing atmospheric pressure outside of the breathing regulator.

In the upper part of the housing l0, between the shells I I and I2, there is a respiratory chamber 29. Oxygen, air, or an oxygen-air mixture is withdrawn from the chamber 23 through two outlet tubings and 30' (Fig. 1) that lead toa face mask 3| worn by the. aviator. These outlet tubings 30 and 30' are preferably rubber and corrugated for greater strength and flexibility. The housing l0 restson the/aviator's chest and is supported by a strap 33 that passes over the aviaztors shoulders and around the back oi his 20 nec A 1 Air from the surrounding atmosphere enters the chamber 29 through an air intake 33. A plug 36 can be used to close the air intake it the aviator wants to breathe oxygen at low altitudes undiluted with air from the surroundin atmosphere. When the plug 33 is removed, the entrance of air into the mixing or respiratory chamber 29 i controlled by an air-proportioning valve 31 that is biased toward closed position by a light spring 33 and opened against the force of the spring 33 by abutment means comprising a threaded rod 39 that passes through and is connected with a lever 40. A head ll threaded on the upper end of the rod 39 can be screwed up or down to adjust the length of the abutment means. The lever 43 is supported by a fulcrum pivot 32 (Fig. 3) ona bracket 43 secured to the shell -i2. The end of the lever 30 remote from the stud 30 is connected with an aneroid bellows 43 which shifts the lever 40 counterclockwise with increase of altitude, and moves the lever 40 in the opposite direction as the altitude decreases. Thus the air-proportioning valve 31 is widest open at sea level and moves progressively toward closed position with increase in altitude. The parts are so constructed that the head 4! permits the valve 31 to close completelyat about 33,000 it. but this valve is a check valve opening toward the air inlet "and it will rise to permit gas to bee!- hausted from within the respiratory chamber 23 whenever the pressure in that chamber is sumcient to lift the valve 31.

An oxygen-proportioning'valve l3 cantrols the passage or oxygen through an oxy en inlet 4 that opens from the oxygen chamber 21 into the. respiratory chamber 23. The valve 43 is urged toward closed position by a leaf spring 33' and is opened against the tension 01 the spring by the threadedm'd 33. Movement of the lever ll to change the position of the valve 31 has the oppositeaeflect onthe valve 33 which is complete]:

- closed at sea level and opens progressively wider with increase in altitude.

The breathing regulatorsupplies air with no level, and pure oxygen ve about 33,000 it. At intermeat altitudes a mixtures of air and oxygen are diate altitudes,

' supplied, the percentage oi. oxygen being increased automatically with altitude in accordance with the needs of theaviator.

In order to breathe pure oxygen at sea level. or for that matter at any altitude lower than about 331000 it., it-is only' necessary to the plug 33 into the air intake possible to adjust the 33 and cut oil the 16;

For the sake 0! economy in operation, and inasmuch as the human organism is adaptedto function satisfactorily at the lower altitudes. it is regulator so that no oxygen will be supplied at the very low altitudes. For example, ii there is a slight clearance provided between the oxygen valve 43 and the lower end oi. the rod 33, a moderate altitude will be necessary before any oxygen is supplied. The rod 33 threads through the lever 43 and clearance at sea level between the oxygen valve 33 and the lower end of the rod 39 can be obtained by screwing the rod 33 higher in the lever 43. In' order to prevent such an adjustment of the rod 33 from degree of opening of the air-proportioning valve 31. the head ll can be screwed down on the rod 33 by the same amount that the rod 39 was screwed up in the lever 40. The head ll movable axially on the rod In Figs. 4 and 5 the respiratory chamber 23 communicates with a face mask through the conduits 30 and 33', has 'a passage 33 opening into the oxygen chamber 21, and an air inlet N. Instead of having check valves in the air inlet and in the passage to the oxygen chamber, the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 has a single valve element 33 located between the air inlet 34 and the passage 33. This valve element 33 is connected with a lever 31 that is moved on a pivot 33 by an aneroid bellows 33 located in the oxygen chamber. The valve element 33 has a stem 13 that slidesingilldes 1|.

The relation of lows 33 is such that the valve element is held in position to completely close the passage 33 and shut oi! all oxygen to the respiratory chamber at sea level. At an altitude of approximately 33,000 it. the valve element 33 is in position to close the air inlet 64 so that only oxygen is admitted to the respiratory chamber 23..

At intermediate altitudes, the valve element 3 permits gas to flow into the respiratory chamber 23 through both the passage 33 and inlet 3|, but the valve element 3'3 does oiler some obstruction to the flow of gas through these openings 33. 33. With the valve element 33 in a mid position it oflers the same obstruction to the ilow of both the air and oxygen, and. thegas drawn intothe respiratory chamber 2|,is approximately half air from inlet 33. and half oxygen 33, and the rod 39 threaded through the lever l0, make possible a the valve element it to the belv drawn into the respiratory chamber 29 increases.

Two embodiments of the invention have'been described but others can be made, and those illustrated can be changed or modified. Some features of the invention can be used without others. Terms of orientation are, of course, relative.

I claim:

1. A demand-type breathing regulator including a housing in which is a reduced-pressure chamber, a diaphragm forming one wall ofthe chamber, a Valve operated from the diaphragm for controlling the admission of oxygen to said chamber, a respiratory chamber, a conduit for communicating between the respiratory chamber and a face mask, said conduit being open for return flow of exhaled air from the face mask to the respiratory chamber, and a passagethrough which oxygen and air can flow back and forth between the respiratory chamber and the reduced-pressure chamber, the diaphragm of the reduced-pressure chamber being of large size and displacement so that the reduced-pressure chamber of the regulator serves as a rebreathing bag for the face mask.

2. A breathing regulator having a reducedpressure chamber, and including a valve that controls the admission of oxygen from an oxygen supply line to said reduced-pressure chamber, a diaphragm forming one wall of the reduced-pressure chamber andexposed on one side to the pressure of the ambient atmosphere, motiontransmitting connections through which movement of the diaphragm causes operation of the valve, said diaphragm being movable beyond the limit of movement of the motion-transmitting means to increase the capacity of the chamber for use as a rebreathing bag, a second chamber having a passage communicating with the re duced-pressure chamber and through which oxygen or oxygen-air mixtures flow back and forth between said chambers and a conduit for connecting the. second chamber with a face-mask.

3. A demand-type breathing regulator comprising a housing in which is a reduced-pressure chamber and a connecting conduit through which the regulator connects with a face mask, the reduced-pressure chamber having a passage through which it opens into said connecting conregulator, a connection for joining the respiratory chamber with a face mask, and valve means in the regulator in position to control the relative proportion of gas that enters the respiratory chamber through the passage from the reducedpressure chamber and .through an air inlet from the atmosphere.

5. In an aircraft breathing regulator that has a respiratory chamber, a reduced-pressure chamber, a pressure-responsive valve for controlling the entrance of oxygen into the reduced-pressure chamber, and a connection through which the respiratory chamber communicates with a face mask, two gas inlets opening into the respiratory chamber, one from the reduced-pressure chamber of the regulator and the other from the atmosphere surrounding the regulator, valve means controlling the flow of gasthrough both of said gas inlets, and an aneroid device operably connected with the valve means for moving said valve means to change the amountof opening of both gas inlets in a manner that admits different proportions of incoming gas through differ-'- ent ones of said inlets at different altitudes.

6. An aircraft breathing regulator including a housing in which is a'cham-ber for'oxygen and a respiratory chamber, a diaphragm forming a wall of the oxygen chambenan oxygen inlet conduit, a valve for controlling the entrance of oxygen into the oxygen chamber through said inlet conduit, motion-transmitting connections beduit, a check valve commanding said passage and opening toward the reduced-pressure chamber, a device for holding the check valve open so that oxygen from the reduced-pressure chamber can flow through said passage and into theconnecting conduit, and an aneroid bellows connected with the device for moving said device into different positions in response to variations in the pressure of the atmosphere surrounding the breathing regulator.

4. A breathing regulator including a respiratory chamber, a reduced-pressure chamber having a passage opening into the respiratory chamber, an oxygen inlet through which oxygen enters the reduced-pressure chamber, a valve commanding the oxygen inlet, operating means for said valve responsive to the pressure in said reduced-pressure chamber, an air inletthrough which air enters the respiratory chamber from outside the tween the diaphragm and valve for causing opera-- tion of the valve, a second valve for controlling the passage of gas from the oxygen chamber through an inlet tothe respiratory chamber, a third valve for controlling-the entrance of. air from the ambient atmosphere throughan air inlet into the respiratory chamber; and aneroidoperated means operably connected with thesecond and third valves for varying the degree ofopening of the respective valves in opposite directions in response to changes in altitude of the regulator.

7. A breathing regulator for aviators including a housing in which is an oxygen chamber and a respiratory chamber, the respiratory chamber having two substantially alined openings, one communicating with the oxygen chamber and the other with the ambient atmosphere, a check valve commanding each of said openings, each of said check valves having a bias toward closed position and closing toward the respiratory chamber, abutment means located between the check valves and movable in opposite directions into positions to hold one or the other of said check valves open, and an aneroid bellows connected to the abutment means for making theposition of the abutment means dependent upon the at-.

. and in which the abutment means comprises a threaded rod with a head that can be screwed one way or the other on the rod to vary the length of said abutment means, andin which the bellows is connected to a lever through which said rod passes and in which the rod is adjustable axially to change the efiect of the bellows at a given altitude.

9. An aircraft breathing regulator including an oxygen chamber, pressure regulator apparatus for position of the valve element with her, a flexible diaphragm passage between the respiratory chamber and spiratory chamber for the exhaust of air from.

the respiratory chamber during exhalation by an aviator using the breathing regulator, an aneroid bellows, and means operated by the bellows for holding the valves open by different amounts at diflerent altitudes.

10. An aircraft breathing regulator having an oxygen chamber and a respiratory chamber with a passage that communicates with the oxygen chamber, and including pressure regulator apparatus for controlling the supply of oxygen to the oxygen chamber, a conduit through which theres'pira'wry chamber communicates with a face-mask connection, an air inlet through which air from the surrounding atmosphere enters the respiratory chamber, said air inlet confronting one end of the passage through which said chambers communicate. a valve element that moves between the confrontin ends of the passage and air inlet. and an aneroid device for chan ing the altitude.

11. An aircraft breathing regulator comprising a housing. theheight and width of which are substantially greater than its thickness from front toback, a strap that is placed around an aviators neck to support the housing with the back of said housing resting against the aviator's chest, a partitlon within the housing dividing the housing into an oxygen chamber and a respiratory chamforming one wall of an oxygen supply valve cominlet to the oxygen chamber,

the oxygen chamber, manding an oxy en a plunger for operating the oxygen supply valve,

changes in a motion-transmitting lever between the diaphragm and the plunger, said diaphragm bein of large size and being movable beyond the limits of movement of the lever in one direction to increase the capacity of the oxygen chamber so that said chamber serves as a rebreathing bag, a passage connecting the oxygen chamber with the respiratory chamber, a check valve biased toward closed position and commanding said passage and opening toward the oxygen chamber, an air inlet through which air from the surrounding 'atmosphere enters the respiratory chamber, a check valve biased toward closed position and commanding the inlet and opening toward the air inlet, connections for joining the respiratory chamber with a face mask, an aneroid bellows in the respiratory chamber, and elements operated by said bellows for holding the check valves open at certain elevations.

12. An aircraft breathing regulator in whichis an oxygen chamber and a respiratory chamber, two passages through which said chambers communicate with one another, a check valve com- -manding each of the passages, one check valve opening toward theoxygen chamber and the other opening toward the respiratory chamber, both of said check closed position, an air inlet conduit to the respiratory chamber from the surrounding atmosphere, a check valve commandin the air inlet.

a and biased toward closed position, and closing toward the respiratory chamber, aneroid-operated means for holding open at certain altitudes both of the check valves that close toward the respiratory chamber, and a device with which a user of the regulator can close the air inlet at any altitude.

GEORGE M. DEBEING.

valves being biased toward 

